Beware of the Following Sentence.
Beware of the following sentence, because it contradicts the belief of so many of my enviornmentally conscious colleagues and friends who seem convinced that any human interaction with the non-human environment is either a little bit damaging, a lot damaging, or dedicated to undoing the damage.
I believe we humans are fully capable of enhancing the vitality and diversity of any ecosystem, even those that are essentially healthy.
Beware of the Following Sentence
My daily life is dedicated to proving this thesis, which I attempt to accomplish by creating diverse habitats. That is why I construct ponds, niches, terraces, woods, meadows, stone walls, a moat, waterfalls, cold frames, compost bins, beehive, etc.
The results are immediate and wondrous – critters and plants quickly settle in to the environments that are congenial for them.
Several artists in TO LIFE! are demonstrating this principle in their professional eco-art practices. Nicole Fournier nurtures a great diversity of plants, welcoming the insects and birds and rodents who feed on this abundance. Gelitin composted an entire mountaintop in the Alps. Herbert Bayer stabilized an area that was being washed out by seasonal rains. Jae Rhim Lee is engaged in enhancing the eco system where her corpse will eventually decompose.
I hope these artists convince others to join the ‘habitat-creation crusade’. This pursuit can be accomplished on every scale, beginning with an apartment window box. Besides optimizing the abundance of plants and animals, it optimizes pleasure and security.